Replies

Switching to Linux is starting to look more and more like a reasonable option.  I know that there are hiccups with Linux drivers also; but Fred’s nightmare experience here with a supposedly easy upgrade to Windows 11 is seriously nudging me in that direction.  At least with Linux I don’t need to worry about an Internet connection just to get the O/S installed.

I know that you folks run as admin all the time, but I think that’s a *horrible* practice.

berniec: I agree with you; that is a horrible practice.  I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me personally I never login to my system as an Admin user, except for once a month or so when I’m actually doing Admin tasks (like installing updates).  Other times — which is like 95% of the time — I’m always logged in as a standard non-Admin user.  I suspect quite a lot of other AskWoody folks here do the same.

1 user thanked author for this post.

bbearren

For my family’s Win10 Pro version 10.0.19043 Build 19043 which has September updates installed. What will be the feature release version should be typed in box ??

My understanding (per Susan) is that if you want to stay on version 21H1, then just set the Target Version for Feature Updates value to 21H1.  When 21H2 becomes available, you probably won’t want to upgrade to it immediately; since it reportedly won’t have any new features that would be useful to, or needed by, typical home users.  So the recommendation is to just hold off on 21H2 for now.

Brian:  As far as I know, WUMgr doesn’t categorize updates the way Microsoft does.  I’ve never noticed identifiers such as “Optional”, “Important”, “Critical”, etc.  It just lists the updates with their descriptions and KB numbers (if applicable), and leaves it up to the user to decide what’s appropriate or needed.

As for the old Silverlight update, I noticed that getting offered up to me by the native Windows Update on an older Win 8.1 system of mine.  And I had also hidden all the Silverlight updates on that system as well — in Windows Update.  So I wouldn’t put the blame on WUMgr.  Apparently, for some unknown reason, Microsoft pushed out Silverlight updates to some systems this month.  I’ve got no explanation as to why.

Alex: I also have auto updates disabled on everything, except for my AV software.  Plus I use WUMgr to block Windows Update.  And, like you, I’ve never had any updates pushed onto my system either — day or night.

But I still shut it down every night anyway.  It might not be necessary; but if a system isn’t being used for anything, I don’t see the point of keeping it powered up and running for no reason.  Plus, it gives me the peace of mind to know that absolutely nothing can get pushed thru overnight — even if I accidentally missed disabling some background process or scheduled task that I wasn’t aware of.  Like I said, it’s just extra added insurance.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Alex5723

Please advise how I can permanently stop automatic updates like that.

glnz:  My recommendation would be to use WUMgr, and follow the procedure in the attached PDF file.

Using-WUMgr-to-Update-a-Windows-10-System

Also, as extra added insurance, I never leave my computer up and running when I’m not actively using it (i.e., when I go to bed at night).  I always do a Shutdown at the end of the day — just to make sure absolutely nothing gets thru overnight.

John782: As Berserker79 pointed out in his post,

…KB4023057 is supposed to take steps to make it easier for Windows Update to do its job (i.e. removing any “blocks” users may have set up to avoid forced updates…

And that right there is why my recommendation would be to get rid of that update.  A number of folks here have said that it doesn’t hurt to install KB4023057; and that they’ve had no ill effects from it.  That could be true.  But unless you’re completely trusting of Microsoft with installing whatever updates they deem appropriate for your system — and on their timetable (rather than yours) — then I would keep KB4023057 off of your system.  If you have setup “blocks” in order to avoid forced updates, then allowing KB4023057 onto your system is really working at cross purposes to that — providing MS with the means to possibly defeat whatever those blocking mechanisms might be.

If you’re trying to remain in control of the Windows Updating process, then I see no real benefit to installing KB4023057.  And, as long as it remains present on your system, I do see the potential for problems with it down the road.

2 users thanked author for this post.

John782, Coldheart9020

TheFamilyIT: The October updates will be released the second Tuesday of October (Oct 12th).  Susan generally ups the DEFCON level a few days before then.  That’s why I recommend doing any upgrade this week (or next week at the absolute latest).  Once she ups the DEFCON level, it typically stays there until near the end of the month.  So from October 12th thru (maybe) October 28th or so, you should avoid doing any upgrade during that period.  At least, that would be my recommendation.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Susan Bradley

TheFamilyIT: My advice would be to do your upgrade now — this week — while Susan has the DEFCON level at 4.  If you wait too long, the DEFCON level will change again, as we’ll be getting into the release of the October updates.  And doing an upgrade at that point would just be asking for trouble.  If you wait that long, then you should really wait even longer — until around the end of October — to make sure that the October updates are safe (when Susan gives the all clear again for those updates).

Also, before attempting any upgrade to Windows 10, make sure that you have full and verified backups of both your user files and your entire system.  There are numerous backup programs out there; but my personal recommendation would be Macrium Reflect.  You can save a full system image with the free edition.  But if you’re willing to spring for the paid Home edition, you get even more functionality, including doing selective file backups of all your user data.  Just make sure that once you have your system and files backed up, that you disconnect your external backup drive from the system before starting the upgrade.  You don’t want to chance having the upgrade accidentally overwrite your backup drive.

Don’t know why I have HKEY instead of HKLM.

mpw: “HKLM” is just an abbreviation for “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE“.

1 user thanked author for this post.

mpw

Edge has been able to warn about closing multiple tabs for about six months since version 89:

Well that just goes to show how long it’s been since I’ve even casually looked at Edge.  So I guess I’ll give Microsoft credit where it’s due.  That change is welcome and worth noting.

On the other hand, it doesn’t change my mind about switching from Firefox to Edge (or Chrome).  Here’s just some of the other annoying items in Edge that I can’t stand:

• No Menu Bar or option for displaying one
• Favorites (aka Bookmarks) page can’t be pinned to the left side of the window
• Favorites/History pages can’t be resized
• Diagnostic telemetry data can’t be completely shut off
• No In-Browser Applications settings to choose default apps or actions based on content

If Microsoft were to fix these issues, I might — just might — consider giving Edge a second look.  But MS likes to believe they know what’s best for their users; so despite the crumb they’ve thrown users to warn about multiple tabs, I won’t hold my breath waiting to see if they address any of those other issues.  I’ll stick with Firefox.

Is a download using WuMgr resumeable?

I’m not really sure.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I’ve never run into a situation with WUMgr where the download got interrupted.  So I don’t know what would happen.  If someone else here has run into that situation maybe they can shed some light on how WUMgr would handle that.

Bob, I understand the need to get updates done on your schedule rather than Microsoft’s.  Just following up on your other posting though.  You said that you weren’t able to download or install KB5005565 with WUMgr.  Is that still the case?  If so, did you try going directly to the Microsoft Update Catalog to download it there?

• MS Update Catalog KB5005565 20H2 x64

BTW, it’s good to know you’re covered with Macrium for backups.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bob1515

I don’t care much about comparing Edge with Chrome; since I hardly every use either one.  Firefox is my go-to browser; and I can customize Firefox to my liking way more than Chrome or Edge — both functionally with a huge selection of add-ons to choose from, as well as being able to tweak the user interface to exactly how I like it.

For a couple minor examples that really annoy the heck out of me, go into Edge or Chrome and try to locate a setting that will warn you if you attempt to close multiple open tabs.  Firefox has it.  Chrome or Edge: “We’ve decided you don’t need an option for that.”  I also like having a Menu Bar at the top of the window with clearly labeled “File Edit View History” etc.  Chrome or Edge: “We’ve decided to remove the Menu Bar to highlight web content and save space.”  Yeah.  Stop deciding things for me.  I’ll stick with Firefox.

For me, my default browser on Windows is Firefox (latest version, currently 90.0).  And I run it with a bunch of add-ons — NoScript, Adblock Plus, DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials, Hide Private Mode, and Print Edit WE.  With the right amount of tweaking in NoScript and Adblock Plus, I can pretty much block out all the ads and tracking scripts everywhere; which is why Firefox is my go-to browser for just about everything.

For the rare website where I can’t get things to display properly, my backup alternate browser is Chrome.  But it’s seldom that I have to fall back and resort to that.  More than 95% of the websites I need to get to work just fine with Firefox.  And when I do use Chrome it’s typically with the Adblock Plus extension also, along with Hide Incognito Mode (since I will typically use Chrome only in Incognito Mode).

The browser that I hardly ever use?  Edge!  The only thing I’ve ever used Edge for is when setting up a new system — and then only so I can download and install Firefox and Chrome.  The Edge development team suffers from the same disease that the rest of the Windows developers seem to be afflicted with.  “We know what’s best for you. You don’t need to customize and tweak how things work or look. Trust us.”  Well that attitude just doesn’t work for me.  And, of course, then there’s the overarching question of how much more privacy do I want to relinquish to Microsoft.  I don’t trust Google very much with Chrome; but I trust Microsoft even less with Edge.

My only real complaint about Firefox (as many others have mentioned) is that it’s resource-hungry.  And I’ll admit — especially with all my add-ons — that it’s slow to load when I first open it.  But once I have it open initially, then opening subsequent tabs works just fine.  So I’m more than willing to put up with that initial delay in order to have all the functionality that Firefox provides with those add-ons.  I even use Firefox (with NoScript too) on Android.